


Discovery

by Luthorchickv2



Series: Turning Left [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic, Episode: S03e08 The Eye of the Phoenix, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 02:12:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14802381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luthorchickv2/pseuds/Luthorchickv2
Summary: Arthur follows Merlin on an herb picking trip and discovers the source of Merlin's good mood.





	Discovery

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a quick look from Arthur's point of view into an epic Merlin/Gwaine relationship. I kept looking for Merlin/Gwaine fics that weren't a prelude to Merlin/Arthur. And then this turned into 8k of Arthur thoughts and feelings. This series will take a hard left at the end of season 3 during The Coming of Arthur. Unbeta'ed.

Arthur isn’t stupid. He knows a lot more then he lets on. He knows that something happened to Morgana when she was away and that she didn’t come back quite right. He knows his father is slowly losing a grip on his mind and that for the good of the kingdom Arthur might have to address that soon. He knows that Gwen has room in her heart for two and so does he. He knows there is something about Merlin, something that he isn’t allowed to know, yet. Its getting harder and hard to not know, and it almost comes to a head during the Fisher King quest. Courage, strength and magic, indeed. 

But even with the thing Arthur doesn’t know, what he does know is that Merlin would cut out his own heart if Arthur asked for it. He isn’t sure what he’s done to deserve such blind loyalty and devotion from his manservant but he tries to respect it, at least privately. 

In the weeks after the Fisher King quest Merlin is quiet, withdrawn. Arthur knows something must have happened in the time Merlin was trapped in the throne room, something terrible but he doesn’t ask. He tries not to put Merlin in a position where he has to lie. But where Merlin normally shakes dark moods off, this lingers. He’s quiet, oddly efficient and doesn’t tease Arthur at all. 

So when Merlin comes to him a few weeks after they get back from the Fisher King’s castle and tells him that Gaius is getting a little tired to go out twice a month overnight for herbs that need to be picked by the light of the new and full moons and would Arthur mind terribly if Merlin took on these duties and he’d be gone no more then two days at a time and would make sure that Arthur was well taken care of in his absence? Arthur, once he parses out what Merlin is actually asking in all that rambling, agrees. He doesn’t think anything of it, after all Gaius is on the older side and maybe a couple days here and there will lift the darkness that flickers in Merlin’s eyes. 

And he is right. When Merlin returns with a basket full of delicate white flowers the first time, his dark mood is gone. He smiles freely and when he calls Arthur a clotpole again, Arthur inwardly congratulations himself on a job well done. 

It isn’t for a couple months that Arthur realizes that not only is Merlin’s dark mood lifted but that he is in a gloriously good mood after he returns from the herb trips. It’s been a busy few months and with Gwen and Merlin safe from the stake, Arthur can focus on other things, like Merlin’s mood after his trips. Arthur gets curious when he catches Merlin humming while laying out his clothes and making his bed. 

Arthur throws something at him and start causally making plans to follow Merlin on one of these trips. The next full moon Merlin heads out, traveling east through the forest, the route he would take to get the Ealdor. 

Arthur tracks him through the forest and grows concerned the closer they get to the border. Merlin has not turned away and it looks as if he will keep on going to Ealdor. Arthur supposes that Merlin could be in such a good mood if he’s been traveling to see his mother but then why lie about the herbs? Surely Merlin knows that Arthur wouldn’t seriously begrudge him time with Hunith.

He almost feels guilty for following Merlin like this but his curiosity outweighs the guilt and he’s happy to get away from his father’s judgmental eye. His father’s been worse since the whole fiasco with Gwen and Arthur can’t quite figure out why Morgana would set him, set them up for discovery. But that’s a problem for another day. 

Arthur follows Merlin’s tracks until Merlin finally turns south and rides parallel to the boarder before dismounting and leading his horse through the trees. Arthur ties his horse off the path and sneaks around the side until he sees Merlin in a large clearing, a stream running through it. 

 

Merlin has untacked his horse and let it loose to graze, the stupid idiot. One loud sound and the horse would flee unless its kept there by what Arthur doesn’t know about. Merlin is setting up camp when Arthur hears another rider approaching. Arthur curses silently and puts his hand on his blade. He is pleasantly surprised, if confused, when the rider isn’t a bandit but Gwaine, who is breaking the law by being on this side of the border. 

Merlin looks up and smiles broadly at the other man as he dismounts. 

“You’re late!” He says cheerfully putting an end to Arthur’s half formed thought that this is a random meeting. Arthur is going to be very annoyed if Merlin has orchestrated these trips to see his friend who should not even be within the boarders. 

“You would never believe the problems I had getting loose from your mother. I swear she knows.” Gwaine strolls over the Merlin, horse following behind. 

Arthur is getting more and more confused. Gwaine knew Merlin’s mother? He was staying with Hunith? 

He no sooner thinks that when Gwaine pulls Merlin up and presses his lips against Merlin’s. 

Oh. 

OH. 

Arthur wants to bang his head against the tree. That would explain it. Merlin’s good mood, the trips and Gwaine’s presence on the Fisher King quest. He wonders how long this has been going on and decides quickly that it is none of his business. 

They are striking together, Merlin, pale and dark, Gwaine, dark and swarthy. Gwaine has such a big personality and such strength that Arthur is surprised to see that he is shorter then Merlin though not by much. There is tenderness in the hand that Gwaine uses to cradle Merlins face and there is ecstatic joy in Merlin’s face when they break for air. 

“Hello, my love.” Gwaine runs a hand down Merlin’s face. 

“Hello, beloved.” Merlin runs his hands down Gwaine’s torso as if checking for injuries. 

Arthur feels guilt for observing something so personal and turns away. He leaves the embracing couple and carefully finds his way back to his horse. 

He feels slightly hurt that Merlin felt that he couldn’t share this but he understands, a little. He’s never talked to Merlin about the knights who keep company with other knights, like Sir Leon.

And besides, Arthur keeps his own secrets. Merlin and all Camelot know about Gwen, but no one aside from he and Gwen know that Lancelot, when he visits under dark of night, visits both their beds and that when Arthur is King he will have not just a Queen but a Prince Consort as well. 

He lets himself imagine about being King as he makes his way back to Camelot, feeling only slightly treasonous. It is a dream that has shifted over the years as his grown. He knows his time is coming, sooner rather than later and it’s better to know what he wants. 

He thinks about his knights populated not just with noblemen, but with anyone with skill enough to try. He thinks about Ealdor and bringing it under Camelot’s banner. He thinks about the druids that will once again move through Camelot and he thinks about a market square that will never again hold executions of the innocent. 

He thinks about Leon who has earned the rank of First Knight in all but name. He thinks about Gaius who will be able to openly practice the healing arts. He thinks about Gwen, clad in velvet with a golden crown studded with rubies on her brow, standing next to him on his left and Lancelot clad in the best armor, draped in Pendragon red, a diadem of gold on his brow, standing tall and proud next to her. He thinks about Merlin on his right at his side, no longer a servant but an equal. Arthur now envisions a proud reckless knight, Gwaine standing just behind Merlin, one hand curled over Merlin’s hip, the other on his sword.


End file.
